Simultaneous transmission of an analog pots signal and a digital signal on a subscriber line

ABSTRACT

Apparatus and method for simultaneously providing multiple telephone-type services to any/all POTS-type devices on a single wire pair at a user premises. The present invention provides for the ability to add separately addressable POTS devices on a single service loop. This can be accomplished in at least two ways: first by the use of a multipoint protocol or second by Frequency Division Multiplexing.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/032,671, filed on Feb. 27, 1998, which claims priority under 35U.S.C. 119(e) to provisional application Ser. No. 60/039,265, filed Feb.28, 1997.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to an apparatus and method forenabling a plurality of analog and digital sets of services that can beutilized simultaneously on a single telephone line.

2. Description of the Related Art

Presently, telephone companies can offer only one set of analog servicesto any and all POTS-type devices on each subscriber line wire pair atthe premise, because current POTS service requires one (1) line per POTSservice set. This is because device types are mutually exclusive, andconsequently only one device type can utilize the service line at anyone time (i.e. one active telephone, or a single fax operation at atime). A further limitation exists for the telephones, such that allextensions are connected to the same conversation. Presently if multiplesets of services are desired, an additional line is required for eachadditional set of services. This is most evident in situations like asecond loop for a fax machine or a “teen line” to separate parenttelephone calls from those of children in a household. There are addedcosts for each additional line.

Also, telephone companies today cannot command any additional servicerevenue from the usage of extra phones, modems, and fax operations on asingle line. Until now, from the usage of extra phones, modems, and faxoperations on a single line. Until now, telephone companies could notoffer any extra beneficial sets of service to the premise on a singleline. Accordingly, there is a need to develop an apparatus and method totransmit a plurality of data signals in parallel with the analog POTSsignal, thereby providing multiple telephone-type sets of services on asingle telephone line.

With such an apparatus and method for enabling simultaneous multiplesets of telephone-type services on a single telephone line, thetelephone companies can offer numerous sets of services to any/alldevices on each wire pair at the premise.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Certain objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will beset forth in part in the description that follows and in part willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of thefollowing or may be learned with the practice of the invention. Theobjects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained bymeans of the instrumentality's and combinations particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

To achieve the advantages and novel features, the present invention isgenerally directed to a data communications apparatus and method thatallows a user to utilize simultaneously multiple telephone-type servicesto any/all POTS-type devices on each wire pair at the premise. Thepresent invention provides for the ability to add separately addressablePOTS devices on a single service loop. This can be accomplished in atleast two ways: first by the use of a multipoint protocol or second byFrequency Division Multiplexing.

One embodiment of the present invention accomplishes this by using amultipoint protocol and providing each premises device with a uniquedevice ID that is separately addressable.

Another embodiment of the present invention accomplishes this by usingthe frequency division multiplexing (FDM) method, that utilizes a devicethat assigns an available frequency range, within the bandwidth of thecommunication medium, for each device that is separately addressable.

Another embodiment of the present invention accomplishes this by usingthe time division multiplexing (TDM) method, that combines separatesignals (i.e. analog and digital) into a single high-speed datatransmission in which the transmission time is broken into segments.Each segment carries one element of one signal. The separate signals aresampled in order at regular intervals that are then combined in thesingle high-speed signal. Each time period is then assigned for eachdevice that is separately addressable. The above TDM technique does notprovide simultaneous access via connection to phone jacks. The modemapparatus used in this embodiment includes a memory containing aplurality of program routine sequences and a processor that performs theselected program routine sequences to enable the simultaneous multipleaccess techniques disclosed by the modem described in commonly assignedand co-pending U.S. patent application (entitled, “APPARATUS AND METHODFOR COMMUNICATING VOICE AND DATA BETWEEN A CUSTOMER PREMISES AND ACENTRAL OFFICE”, Ser. No. 08/962,796, filed on Nov. 3, 1997, hereinincorporated by reference, and the modem described in commonly assignedand co-pending U.S. patent application entitled “APPARATUS AND METHODFOR A MULTIPOINT DSL MODEM”, Ser. No. 09/031,226, filed on, Feb. 26,1998, herein incorporated by reference.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of thespecification illustrate several aspects of the present invention, andtogether with the description, serve to explain the principles of theinvention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view of the central office (CO) wire centers and userpremises layout of the prior art.

FIG. 2 is a view of the CO wire centers and user premises layout of thepresent invention, with many of the multiple telephone-type servicesdepicted.

FIG. 3A is a block diagram of the CO POTS interface and modemapparatuses of FIG. 2.

FIG. 3B is a block diagram of the user premises POTS interface and modemapparatuses of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the digital signal processor engine ofFIGS. 3A and 3B.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the CO POTS and digital signals splitter ofFIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the packet using the multipoint protocolthat allows each device to be separately addressable.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the frequency spectrums utilized by themultipoint protocol packets of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the frequency spectrums utilized by thefrequency division multiplexing method that provides each device with aseparately addressable access.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of the Frequency spectrum utilized by themultipoint protocol packets of FIG. 5, when not currently utilizing POTSdevices.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart of the process for the initializing the addressdetermination routines residing in the DSP, CPU or ASIC device of FIG.4.

Reference will now be made in detail to the description of the inventionas illustrated in the drawings. While the invention will be described inconnection with these drawings, there is no intent to limit it to theembodiment or embodiments disclosed therein. On the contrary, the intentis to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents includedwithin the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appendedclaims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now in detail to the drawings in which the reference numeralsindicate like parts throughout several views, FIG. 1 illustrates theplain old telephone system (POTS) networks including dial datacommunication modems (45) of the prior art. The POTS network includesnumerous user premises 41, wherein each user premises is connected to acentral office wire center 11, via a subscriber line 27. Each subscriberline 27 is connected to the user premises 41, which further connects toa user premises line 47, for distribution of POTS service throughout theuser premises. Usually, there are numerous POTS devices connected toeach user premises line 47, such as telephones 44, fax machines 42,personal computers (PCs) 46, and the like. It is also known, (but notshown), that it is possible to have multiple subscriber lines 27connected to each user premises, thereby creating two separate userpremises lines 47 within each user premises as previously discussed.

As noted previously, each user premises is connected, via a subscriberline 27, to a central office wire center 11. The subscriber line 27 isconnected to a POTS switch 14 that routes all POTS signals, includingboth those to/from analog devices such as telephones and to/from digitaldata devices such as dial modems or fax machines. The POTS signals aresent from the POTS switch 14 to the other central office wire centersand to remote premises and to data services such as the Internetservices via the public switch telephone network (PSTN) 28. The CO wirecenter 11 thus can offer only a single telephone number and only one setof services for each subscriber line 27.

A brief discussion of an example for the analog signals generated in theapplied system environment for the prior art from the user premises andtransmitted through the central office wire center, via the PSTN, andback to a user premises will now be detailed.

When a user wishes to place a telephone call on device 44, the userpicks up the receiver and puts the subscriber line 27 in an off-hookcondition, that is detected at the central office wire center 11, byclosed switch hooks (not shown). The off-hook condition signals thecentral office wire center 11, via subscriber line 27, to accept callrequest by allowing a flow of D.C. current and a dial tone of 480 Hz tobe sent to device 44. The outgoing telephone call signals aretransmitted, as described before, via subscriber line 27 to POTS switch14. The analog POTS system signals are transmitted, via the PSTN 28, tothe destination central office wire center 11 of the destination userpremises 41. The signal is further directed towards a POTS switch 14within the destination central office wire center 11. The signal istransmitted, via subscriber line 27, to the destination user premises41. This is the path in which a POTS call is transmitted.

Now, a description of digital signals to/from the user premises will bedescribed. When a user desires to communicate data over a digitalnetwork via his personal PC 46 or the like, the dial modem 45 putssubscriber line 27 in an off-hook condition, that is detected at thecentral office wire center 11, by closed switch hooks (not shown). Theoff-hook condition signals the central office wire center 11, viasubscriber line 27, to accept an outgoing call by allowing a flow ofD.C. current and a dial tone of 480 Hz to be sent to device 44. Digitalsignals from the digital device are transformed into analog signals bydial modem 45. The signals are transmitted via the PSTN 28 todestination user premises 41 in the same manner as the analog signals inthe aforementioned example. The signals may alternatively be routed tothe Internet 29 via an Internet Service provider to provide access toInternet data.

FIG. 2 illustrates the plain old telephone system (POTS) networksincluding data communication DSL modems 13 and 50 of the preferredembodiment. The data communication DSL modems 50 include the apparatusand methods for enabling the simultaneous multiple telephone typeservices on a single line. FIG. 2 illustrates that a variety of servicesmay be connected at the CO wire center 11 in accordance with the presentinvention. These services may include digital telephone services,Internet television, audio and multimedia, fax, graphic services,high-speed Internet services, high-speed land services, Internettelephone service, stereo/audio service, power meter reading, homemanagement and security services. Again, the operation of such servicesare generally understood and are further not necessary in order todescribe the operation of the present invention. As further illustratedin FIG. 2, the prior POTS voice devices of the prior art telephone 44and standard fax machine 42, establish communications on the frequencyband between 0 kHz and about 4 kHz. A second transmission frequency bandis defined at a higher frequency level than the POTS frequency band andis used in the transmission of digital subscriber line (DSL)communications that provides multiple access techniques of the preferredembodiment. The DSL modems 50 provide both the physical layer and higherlayer functions as needed to provide the simultaneous multiple access.Other methods of providing multiple access, such as frequency divisionmultiplexing or other multiplexing techniques, may be utilized with somelimitation in overall performance. The different equipment devices atthe user premises can be identified and accessed by a multiple accesscode (MAC) address as determined by the DSL modem 50, or by the assignedavailable frequency range within the bandwidth of the communication. Nowthe different types of services will be described with regard to FIG. 2.

For audio services, the modem 50 can be coupled with audio compressionfor a telephone or stereo receiver as shown by device 51.

Digital phone 43 utilizes modem 50 to digitize an audio buffer asnecessary and transmits the digitized audio at an average data rate of 8KPS and performs a reverse function in the received direction. Thus, thedigital phone acts to the user as a telephone with digital clarity andservices provided. The digital phone may communicate over PSTN viacompatible analog digital conversions in the optional Teleco switchexpander 16.

The PC 46 may transmit and receive data via DSL modem 50 from theInternet or local area network (LAN) or other point to point type datatransmissions.

Multimedia and video telephone service can be provided utilizing videocamera 52 to capture video, the video telephone 53 which may be amicrophone and multimedia PC Internet video phone device 51, whichcaptures video and audio and provides the digitized information to modem50 for transmission to the destination user. The Internet video phonemay use either the PSTN or Internet or other land-type network for datacommunications. Internet phone 54 has the features of the digital phonewith a protocol required for communication over Internet or landnetworks.

Digital faxes can be transmitted and received via the digital fax device55 through modem 50 which would digitize the information and transmit itvia the Internet land or PSTN networks.

Digital television 56 and digital video cassette recorder (VCR) 57 canbe utilized with the Internet streaming to receive and record Internettelevision and audio/visual data streaming. Services that requirelow-delay and medium delay (latency) utilize the “quality of service”polling techniques to assure that real-time applications are serviced ina timely manner. The “quality of service” polling techniques aredisclosed by the modem described in commonly assigned and co-pendingU.S. patent application entitled “APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DSP SHARINGUSING STATISTICAL PROPERTIES OF DATA”, Ser. No. 09/027,705, filed onFeb. 23, 1998, herein incorporated by reference.

The home security and power meter reading system device 58 providesmonitoring and controlling of various home functions such as a securitysystem. It also provides the ability for communicating home functionsdata to a local utility such as gas usage, electricity usage, waterusage, and the like.

All the unique service devices as shown and described with regard toFIG. 2, are accessed via unique addresses. For each particular telephonecompany service provided, that service provides the user a uniqueaddress or frequency range for each new service premise device. Thus,those and only those unique service devices are enabled.

Each of the additional service devices illustrated in FIG. 2 areconnected to the user premise line 47. This user premise line is furtherconnected to one subscriber loop 27 that connects to the CO wire center11. The signals from each of the service devices are modulated via modem50 and input to the CO wire center plain old telephone system (“POTS”)splitter 15 which separates the POTS communications that are nowtransmitted in the frequency band between 1 kHz and 4 kHz. These POTSsignals are identified in POTS splitter 15 and separated from themultiple service signals operating at a higher frequency at POTSsplitter 15. The POTS voice signals are separated from the data signalsand transmitted to POTS switch 14 for communications over the PSTN orWEB TV, audio, fax, graphic services, home security and power meterreading networks 25. The LAN data signals and Internet data signals areseparated from the voice POTS signals in POTS splitter 15 and forwardedon the master point modem 13 for further transmission through the NASequipment devices 12 to the Internet 24 and other LAN networks 29.

Service signals from the digital phone multimedia Web TV, digital fax,home security and power meter reading systems are provided to themultipoint master modem 13 by the POTS splitter 15. These signals areforwarded on to the service expander switch 16 for further transmissionthrough the POTS switch 14 on communication link 26 to the Web TV,audio, fax, graphic services, digital TV, Internet phone and the likenetwork 25. The digital phone and Internet and free phone each may havea standard telephone number or may share a number with the otherdevices. The digital phone and Internet or free phone would havestandard Teleco POTS features and billing. The free phone 54 would havea different multiple access code and would permit free long distancecalls on the Internet 24.

FIG. 3A is a block diagram of the CO wire center multichannel datacommunications device modem (modem 13) constructed in accordance withthe present invention. The typical configuration of the central wireoffice 11 multichannel data communication device 13 is connected, via aPOTS splitter 15, to the subscriber line 27. The analog signals outputfrom POTS splitter 15 into the central office multichannel datacommunications device 13, are connected through communication links intothe POTS interface 32. The central office multichannel datacommunications device 13 provides for multiple analog lines to be inputand converted to digital signals, due to the efficiency of the processor35 within the central office multichannel data communication device 13.Because multiple analog input lines are permitted, device 13 may requiremultiples of the analog POTS interface hardware 32, dial accessarrangement (DAA) logic 33 and analog front end (AFE) logic 34.

The analog POTS interface hardware 32 connects analog signal line to thedial access arrangement (DAA) logic 33. The dial access arrangement(DAA) logic 33 provides surge protection and impedance matching. Lineprotection circuit (not shown) protects the multichannel communicationsdevice 13 against line surges, lightning strikes, and the like. Lineprotection circuit (not shown) is then further connected to theimpedance and isolation circuit (not shown), via a communication link.The impedance and isolation circuit (not shown) also contains circuitry(not shown) to detect ring indicator on off-hook conditions.

The impedance and isolation circuit is comprised of an impedancematching circuit (not shown) before being connected to the two-to-fourwire hyped interface (not shown). The dial access arrangement (DAA)logic 33 connects the analog signals to the AFE logic 34, via acommunication link.

The analog front end (AFE) logic 34 converts the analog signal to adigital data signal. The AFE 34 is connected to a communication linkwhich is connected to a receiver (not shown). The receiver receives theanalog signals and converts the analog signal by using ananalog-to-digital converter. A driver (not shown) drives the signalsacross a communication link to the impedance and isolation circuit (notshown) of DAA 33, after receiving signals from the driver'sdigital-to-analog converter (not shown). The receiver analog-to-digitalconverter (not shown) and driver digital-to-analog converter (not shown)are both connected to the bi-directional digital communication link.Ring indicator and off-hook conditions are processed in ring indicator(RI) off-hook (OH) impedance controller (not shown).

The AFE logic 34 transmits the digital signal to the DSP logic 25 forreconstruction of the digital data. Multiple analog front ends logic 34may be connected to a single DSP, CPU, ASIC or other processor logic 35,due to the high processing speed of such processor logic.

In alternative embodiments of the invention, the multiple dial accessarrangements (DAA) logic 33 and analog front ends logic 34 are notnecessary to practice the present invention, and it may be omitted insome applications where the dial access arrangement (DAA) logic 33 andanalog front end logic 34 are shared between numerous analog POTSinterface hardware 32.

DSP logic 35 reconstructs the digital signal streams into usable digitaldata by stripping error control information, data compression and thelike added by the far-end modem. The reconstructed digital data istransmitted from the DSP logic 35 through the host interface 36 to thehost DTE 12 or 16 devices for further transmission over the PSTN 21,Internet 24, LAN 29 or other services network 25.

FIG. 3B is a block diagram of the single POTS line multichannel datacommunication device (modem 50) constructed in accordance with thepresent invention. The multichannel data communication device, modem 50,is substantially similar to the CO wire center multichannel datacommunication device 13, defined in FIG. 3A., except that device 50 isconfigured to accept only one POTS line connection.

In the typical configuration, the user premises line 47 is connected toline jack POTS interface 62. The line jack POTS interface 62 isconnected to dial access arrangement interface 63, analog front end 64,digital signal processor logic 65, and the device communicationsinterface 66, as described in 3A above as item 36. The digital signalprocessor logic 65 is connected to the host by a local IF bus via acommunication line, through the data terminal equipment (DTE) interface66, which connects to a device such as a fax, digital phone, personalcomputer (PC), or the like.

Communications device 50 can be for example but not limited to, a dataservice unit (DSU), modem, or any other communication device capable offrame relay communication. In the preferred embodiment, communicationdevice 50 is a DSU, which contains proprietary address determinationlogic 50. Central office location 11 is typically the local telephonecompany's local exchange office which connects via copper wire pair 27to a remote customer location 41, which can be, for example, aresidential or business location.

As shown in FIG. 4, the digital communication link 72 is connected tothe digital signal processor engine 35 or 65, herein referred to as 65,which includes a digital signal processor (DSP) or application specificintegrated circuit (ASIC) chip 71, which is connected to read onlymemory (ROM) 78 and random access memory (RAM) 74. ROM 78 can becomprised of either regular ROM or RAM memory, flash memories, erasableprogrammable read only memory (EPROMs), electrically erasableprogrammable read only memory (EEPROMs), or other suitable programstorage memories. RAM memory 74 can be comprised of static or dynamicRAM, EEPROM, or other suitable data storage memories.

In the first embodiment, the address determination routines 80A are inthe digital signal processor engine 65 program ROM 79. Addressdetermination routines can be downloaded from digital devices, usually aPC connected to the DTE interface 66 (FIG. 3B), into the digital signalprocessor engine 65 program RAM 75 program area 80B. It is in this waythat an updated routine may be downloaded to the modem apparatus toupdate the address determination routines.

The incoming signals on digital line 72 are input into the DSP engine 71for processing. Control signals and digital input/output signals arecommunicated across digital communication link 73. Digital communicationlinks 72 and 73 can be comprised of 8, 16, 32, 64, 128 or other bitsized digital parallel communication links. Communication links 72 and73 can also be comprised of bit serial or other types of chip-to-chipsignal communication links. The DSP or ASIC 71 of the digital signalprocessor engine 65 is connected, via communication link 73 interface 36or 66 as illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B.

Referring to FIG. 5, which is a block diagram of the POTS splitter 15 atthe central office wire center 11. The POTS splitter has numeroussubscriber line interfaces 91I-91N that are connected to subscriberlines 27A-27N. The POTS splitter 15 accepts analog signals acrosssubscriber line 27A-27N, conducts the analog signal through low passfilter 92 for transmission to the POTS switch interface 93. The POTSswitch then transmits analog signals across communication link 17 to thePOTS switch 14. The analog signals received from subscriber lineinterface 71 are also transmitted through modem interface 94, whichtransmits the data communication traffic, via communication link 18, tothe master modem 13.

With reference now to FIG. 6, shown is a schematic view illustrating acommunications packet 101 transported by the modem 50 of FIG. 3. Packet101 is a standard frame relay communication packet. Begin flag 102signals the start of the packet. Frame 103 is the address header and isdepicted as two octets. An octet is an eight bit word. Frame 103 can bea length of two to four octets, however, for simplicity is shown as twooctets in this preferred embodiment. Following frame 103 is informationframe 104 which contains the user data to be transported over thenetwork, and any proprietary header information required. Informationframe 104 is variable in length depending upon the information to betransported. Following information frame 104 is frame check sequence(FCS) frame 105. The FCS frame is typically two octets in length and istypically a cyclical redundancy check (CRC) error detection code used toensure the integrity of the transported information. Finally, frame 106contains the one octet end flag used to signal the end of the packet.

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating frequencyband communications. The terminology “frequency band communications” isused here to indicate communications of information within a certaindefined, frequency band. As is known in the prior art, POTScommunications are transmitted in the frequency band 111 defined betweenabout 0 Hz (DC) and about 4 kHz. A second transmission frequency band112 is defined at a higher frequency level than the POTS frequency band111, and is used in the transmission of digital subscriber line (DSL)communications. A guard band 113 is required to separate the twotransmission frequency bands 111 and 112. The DSL transmission frequencyband 112 is more broadly denominated as “xDSL”, wherein the “x”generically denominates any of a number of transmission techniqueswithin the DSL family. For example, ADSL—asymmetric digital subscriberline, RADSL—rate adaptive digital subscriber line, HDSL—high-bit-rateDSL, etc. As is known, xDSL transmission frequency bands may encompass abandwidth of greater than about 1 MHz. As a result, and for the reasonsdescribed above, without the addition of extra equipment, such as POTSfilters, splitters, etc. The xDSL signals are not compatible withattached POTS-type equipment, such as telephones, PSTN modems, facsimilemachines, etc.

As will be discussed in more detail below, alternative embodiment of thepresent invention provides an upper transmission band having an upperfrequency boundary that is much lower than the 1 MHz frequency boundaryoften encountered in xDSL transmissions. Indeed, the upper frequencyboundary of the present invention is defined in a range that is readilysupported by, or compatible with, transmission systems (and attachedPOTS-type equipment) presently in place between a customer premises anda central office, without the need for extraneous devices such as POTSfilters and POTS splitters.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a multichannel datacommunication device (modem 50) is provided for achieving efficient datacommunications between a customer premises 41 and a central office 11across a local loop 27, by dynamically allocating a transmissionfrequency bandwidth for transmitting data. Certainly, one of the factorsmotivating the development of the present invention is the expandeddemand for higher speed communications in recent years. This enhanceddemand is primarily attributed to communications over the Internet.

The present invention dynamically allocates a data transmissionfrequency band (PSD) in response to POTS communications across the sameline. More particularly, the present invention may utilize the frequencyband otherwise allocated for POTS/voice transmission, at times whenthere is no present demand for transmitting voice information asillustrated in FIG. 9. When, however, there is a demand for voicetransmissions, then the present invention reallocates the transmissionfrequency band for the data communications so that there is no overlapor interference with the POTS transmission frequency band 111, and sothat there is not significant interference to POTS type attachedequipment.

Illustrated in FIG. 8 is the alternative embodiment of the presentinvention that achieves simultaneous multiple telephone type services ona single wire pair by utilizing the frequency division multiplexingmethod. Frequency division multiplexing assigns an available frequencyrange, within the band with the communication medium, for each devicethat is separately addressable. As shown in FIG. 8, the POTS devices ofthe prior art telephone 44, standard fax machine 42, and the like,establish communications on a frequency range between 0 kHz and about 4kHz as shown as item 111. A second transmission frequency range definedat a higher frequency level 121 provides simultaneous multiple accessfor a service device. Each available frequency range within thebandwidth of the communication medium can be assigned to a particularservice type. While FIG. 8 illustrates five frequency ranges 121 through125, the invention can utilize two or more frequency ranges between 20kHz and 1 MHz.

Referring now to FIG. 10, illustrated is the routine that initializesand processes the address determination logic within the DSP, CPU orASIC 71 (FIG. 4). Initialization of the address determination routine ofthe DSP, CPU or ASIC occurs at step 131. This initialization step loadsstartup routines for the address determination logic. It is thendetermined if the address by the DSP, CPU or ASIC determination logic isperformed by utilizing a multipoint protocol, which provides each devicewith a unique device ID that is uniquely and separately addressable, orif the address determination logic uses frequency division multiplexing,that is accomplished by assigning frequency ranges to each uniqueservice device at step 132. If it is determined at step 132 that amultipoint protocol with unique device addresses is being utilized, thenstep 134 sets the address determination logic to multipoint DSL andassigns the unique device IDs to the available service devices. If it isdetermined at step 132, that frequency division multiplexing is to beutilized, then each service device is assigned a unique frequency rangeat step 133. Step 135 starts processing communications for each of theassigned service devices. Processing continues until the service deviceis separated from the network and the address determination logic isexited at step 139.

The foregoing description has been presented for purposes ofillustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or tolimit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obviousmodifications or variations are possible in light of the aboveteachings. The embodiment or embodiments discussed were chosen anddescribed to provide the best illustration of the principles of theinvention and its practical application to thereby enable one ofordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in variousembodiments and with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations arewithin the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claimswhen interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairlyand legally entitled.

1. A data communications apparatus for enabling a plurality oftelephone-type services to be provided to a plurality of telephone-typedevices connected to a single subscriber line, said apparatuscomprising: circuitry connectable to at least one of said plurality oftelephone-type devices wherein said circuitry enables said at least oneof said plurality of telephone-type devices to operate using a frequencyband higher than a plain old telephone system (POTS) frequency band onthe subscriber line; and interface circuitry attachable to said singlesubscriber line to enable said at least one of said plurality oftelephone-type devices using said frequency band higher than said POTSfrequency band to simultaneously share said single subscriber line withanother one of said plurality of telephone-type devices that uses thePOTS frequency band; wherein said plurality of telephone-type servicescomprises at least one of a video phone service, a digital phone servicewith a protocol utilized for communication over the Internet, a digitalfacsimile service, an audio service utilizing audio compression, adigitized audio service, an audio and visual data streaming service, amultimedia service, a home security service, and a meter readingservice, wherein the real-time services are serviced in a timely mannerusing polling.
 2. The data communications apparatus of claim 1, furthercomprising means for providing said plurality of telephone-type servicesconcurrently.
 3. The data communications apparatus of claim 1, whereinthe plurality of telephone-type services are provided by a centraloffice, the central office comprising: a POTS splitter electricallyconnected to the subscriber line, the POTS splitter transmitting a firstsignal onto the subscriber line and receiving a second signal from thesubscriber line; a POTS switch connected to the POTS splitter; and amultipoint master modem connected to the POTS splitter; wherein one ofthe first and second signals comprises one of an analog POTS signal andat least one digital signal, the analog POTS signal having a POTS datawithin the POTS frequency band, the at least one digital signal havingdigital data within the frequency band higher than the POTS frequencyband; and wherein the other of the first and second signals comprises atleast one digital signal within the frequency band higher than the POTSfrequency band.
 4. The data communications apparatus of claim 1, whereinthe plurality of telephone-type services are performed at a customerpremises, the customer premises comprising said subscriber line and saidplurality of telephone-type devices, the telephone-type devicescomprising at least one POTS device that transmits and receives analogPOTS signals along the subscriber line, the telephone-type devicesfurther comprising at least one digital device that transmits andreceives digital signals along the subscriber line; wherein the analogPOTS signals comprise voice data within a first frequency band rangingfrom 0 to 4 kHz, and the digital signals comprise digital data within asecond frequency band ranging from 20 kHz to 1 MHz, the first and secondfrequency bands separated by a guard frequency band ranging from 4 kHzto 20 kHz.
 5. The data communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein atleast one of the plurality of telephone-type devices using the frequencyband higher than the POTS frequency band is a digitized analogcommunications device.
 6. The data communications apparatus of claim 1,wherein the plurality of telephone-type services comprises at least oneof an audio service utilizing audio compression, a digitized audioservice, a DSL service, a multimedia service, a video phone service, adigital telephone service including a protocol for communication overthe Internet, a digital facsimile service, an audio and visual datastreaming service, a home security service, a utility meter readingservice, a digital telephone service, a personal computer service, anInternet video telephone service, and a digital television service. 7.The data communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one ofthe telephone-type devices using the frequency band higher than the POTSfrequency band has a transfer rate that is higher than that associatedwith at least one of the plurality of telephone-type devices that usesthe POTS frequency band.
 8. The data communications apparatus of claim1, wherein at least one of the telephone-type devices that uses the POTSfrequency band is designed to communicate a voice signal, and at leastone of the telephone-type devices that uses the frequency band higherthan the POTS frequency band is designed to communicate a data signal.9. The data communications apparatus of claim 1, further comprisingmeans for transmitting communication signals along the subscriber line,the communication signals comprising: an analog POTS signal within thePOTS frequency band, the POTS frequency band comprising a range offrequencies for carrying POTS signals; and at least one digital signalwithin the frequency band higher than the POTS frequency band, thefrequency band higher than the POTS frequency band comprising a range offrequencies for carrying digital signals; wherein the analog POTS signaland the digital signal exist on the subscriber line simultaneously, thetelephone-type devices comprising at least one POTS device thattransmits or receives the analog POTS signal and at least one digitaldevice that transmits or receives the digital signal.
 10. The datacommunications apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one digitaldevice operates in both the POTS frequency band and the frequency bandhigher than the POTS frequency band when the at least one POTS device isnot in operation.
 11. The data communications apparatus of claim 9,wherein the POTS frequency band comprises frequencies within a rangefrom 0 to 4 kHz, the frequency band higher than the POTS frequency bandcomprises frequencies within a range from 20 kHz to 1 MHz, and a guardfrequency band comprises frequencies within a range from 4 kHz to 20kHz.
 12. The data communications apparatus of claim 9, wherein the atleast one digital signal comprises a plurality of digital signals, eachdigital signal transmitted along the subscriber line within a frequencyrange that is a sub-set of the frequency band higher than the POTSfrequency band, each sub-set being separate from the sub-sets of theother digital signals.
 13. The data communications apparatus of claim12, wherein the subscriber line is connected to a plurality of digitaldevices, each digital device configured to transmit and receive digitalsignals within the respective frequency band sub-set.
 14. The datacommunications apparatus of claim 9, wherein the analog POTS signal istransmitted along the subscriber line in one direction and the digitalsignal is simultaneously transmitted along the subscriber line in theopposite direction.
 15. The data communications apparatus of claim 1,herein the data communication apparatus is configured within acommunication system, the communication system comprising: a subscriberpremises having said subscriber line connected to a plurality ofsubscriber devices, the subscriber devices comprising at least one POTSdevice that transmits and receives an analog POTS signal and at leastone digital device that transmits and receives a digital signal; and acentral office wire center comprising a POTS splitter, a POTS switch,and a multipoint master modem, the POTS splitter connected to thesubscriber line of the subscriber premises and further connected to thePOTS switch and multipoint master modem of the central office wirecenter; wherein a communication signal is communicated between the POTSsplitter and the subscriber devices along the subscriber line, thecommunication signal comprising the analog POTS signal within a firstfrequency range and the digital signal within a second frequency range,the second frequency range comprising frequencies higher than thefrequencies in the first frequency range.
 16. The data communicationsapparatus of claim 15, wherein the analog POTS signal is communicatedbetween the POTS splitter and POTS switch, and the digital signal iscommunicated between the POTS splitter and the multipoint master modem.17. The data communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the singlesubscriber line is a single wire pair.
 18. The data communicationsapparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of telephone-type devicesthat uses the POTS frequency band communicates directly with thesubscriber line without the use of a modem.
 19. The data communicationsapparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of telephone-type devicescomprises at least one device from a list comprising telephones andfacsimile machines.
 20. The data communications apparatus of claim 1,further comprising a modem, wherein the plurality of telephone-typedevices using the frequency band higher than the POTS frequency bandcommunicates with the subscriber line via the modem.
 21. The datacommunications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the subscriber line allowssimultaneous transmission of analog POTS signals and digital signals.22. A method for use in a data communications apparatus, said methodcomprising: providing a plurality of telephone-type services to aplurality of telephone-type devices connected to a single subscriberline of said data communications apparatus, at least one of saidplurality of telephone-type devices operating within a frequency bandhigher than a plain old telephone system (POTS) frequency band; andenabling said at least one of said plurality of telephone-type devicesto operate within said frequency band higher than said POTS frequencyband and to simultaneously share said single subscriber line withanother one of said plurality of telephone-type devices that uses thePOTS frequency band; wherein providing a plurality of telephone-typeservices comprises providing at least one of a video phone service, adigital phone service with a protocol utilized for communication overthe Internet, a digital facsimile service, an audio service utilizingaudio compression, a digitized audio service, an audio and visual datastreaming service, a multimedia service, a home security service, and ameter reading service, wherein the real-time services are serviced in atimely manner using polling.
 23. The method of claim 22, whereinproviding said plurality of telephone-type services further comprisesproviding said plurality of telephone-type services concurrently. 24.The method of claim 22, wherein the plurality of telephone-type servicesare provided by a central office, the central office comprising: a POTSsplitter electrically connected to the subscriber line, the POTSsplitter transmitting a first signal onto the subscriber line andreceiving a second signal from the subscriber line; a POTS switchconnected to the POTS splitter; and a multipoint master modem connectedto the POTS splitter; wherein one of the first and second signalscomprises one of an analog POTS signal and at least one digital signal,the analog POTS signal having POTS data within the POTS frequency band,the at least one digital signal having digital data within the frequencyband higher than the POTS frequency band; and wherein the other of thefirst and second signals comprises at least one digital signal withinthe frequency band higher than the POTS frequency band.
 25. The methodof claim 22, wherein providing said plurality of telephone-type servicesfurther comprises providing the plurality of telephone-type services ata customer premises, the customer premises comprising: said singlesubscriber line, the single subscriber line being in electricalcommunication with a central office of a communication system; and saidplurality of telephone-type devices, the telephone-type devicescomprising at least one POTS device that transmits and receives analogPOTS signals along the subscriber line, the telephone-type devicesfurther comprising at least one digital device that transmits andreceives digital signals along the subscriber line; wherein the analogPOTS signals comprise signals within a first frequency band comprisingfrequencies within a range from 0 to 4 kHz, and the digital signalscomprise digital data within a second frequency band comprisingfrequencies within a range from 20 kHz to 1 MHz, whereby the first andsecond frequency bands are separated by a guard frequency bandcomprising frequencies within a range from 4 kHz to 20 kHz.
 26. Themethod of claim 22, further comprising: communicating a data signal inthe frequency band that is higher than the POTS frequency band; andcommunicating a voice signal in the POTS frequency band.
 27. The methodof claim 22, wherein at least one of the plurality of telephone-typedevices using the frequency band higher than the POTS frequency band isa digitized analog communications device.
 28. The method of claim 22,wherein providing the plurality of telephone-type services comprisesproviding at least one of an audio service utilizing audio compression,a digitized audio service, a DSL service, a multimedia service, a videophone service, a digital telephone service including a protocol forcommunication over the Internet, a digital facsimile service, an audioand visual data streaming service, a home security service, a utilitymeter reading service, a digital telephone service, a personal computerservice, an Internet video telephone service, and a digital televisionservice.
 29. The method of claim 22, further comprising: communicating avoice signal via one of the telephone-type devices that uses the POTSfrequency band; and communicating a data signal via one of thetelephone-type devices that uses the frequency band higher than the POTSfrequency band.
 30. The method of claim 22, further comprising:simultaneously transmitting multiple communication signals along thesubscriber line, the communication signals comprising: an analog POTSsignal within the POTS frequency band; and at least one digital signalwithin the frequency band higher than the POTS frequency band.
 31. Themethod of claim 30, wherein the POTS frequency band comprisesfrequencies within a range from 0 to 4 kHz, the frequency band higherthan the POTS frequency band comprises frequencies within a range from20 kHz to 1 MHz, and a guard frequency band comprises frequencies withina range from 4 kHz to 20 kHz.
 32. The method of claim 30, wherein thetelephone-type devices comprise at least one POTS device that transmitsor receives the analog POTS signal and at least one digital device thattransmits or receives the digital signal.
 33. The method of claim 32,wherein the at least one digital device operates in both the POTSfrequency band and the frequency band higher than the POTS frequencyband when the at least one POTS device is not in operation.
 34. Themethod of claim 32, wherein the at least one digital signal comprises aplurality of digital signals, the method further comprising:transmitting each digital signal along the subscriber line within afrequency range that is a sub-set of the frequency band higher than thePOTS frequency band, each sub-set being separate from the sub-sets ofthe other digital signals.
 35. The method of claim 34, furthercomprising: enabling each digital device to transmit or receive one ofthe plurality of digital signals to or from the subscriber line withinthe respective frequency band sub-set.
 36. The method of claim 32,further comprising: transmitting the analog POTS signal along thesubscriber line in one direction; and simultaneously transmitting the atleast one digital signal along the subscriber line in the oppositedirection.
 37. The method of claim 22, wherein the single subscriberline is a single wire pair.
 38. The method of claim 22, furthercomprising: enabling the telephone-type device that uses the POTSfrequency band to communicate directly with the subscriber line withoutthe use of a modem.
 39. The method of claim 38, wherein thetelephone-type device comprises one device from a list comprisingtelephones and facsimile machines.
 40. The method of claim 22, furthercomprising: enabling the at least one telephone-type device using thefrequency band higher than the POTS frequency band to communicate withthe subscriber line via a modem.
 41. The method of claim 22, furthercomprising: enabling at least one of the plurality of telephone-typedevices to communicate with the subscriber line via a wirelessconnection.
 42. The method of claim 22, wherein the subscriber lineallows simultaneous transmission of analog POTS signals and digitalsignals.
 43. A system comprising: a subscriber line; a firsttelephone-type device designed to communicate within a plain oldtelephone system (POTS) frequency band, the first telephone-type deviceconnected to the subscriber line; a second telephone-type devicedesigned to communicate within a frequency band that is higher than thePOTS frequency band, the second telephone-type device implementing atleast one of an audio service that utilizes audio compression, a DSLservice, a multimedia service, a video phone service, a digital phoneservice including a protocol for communication over the Internet, adigital facsimile service, an audio and visual data streaming service, ahome security service, and a meter reading system service includingreal-time devices that are serviced in a timely manner using polling;and interface circuitry that interfaces the second telephone type-deviceto the subscriber line and enables the second telephone-type device tocommunicate within a frequency band that is higher than the POTSfrequency band.
 44. The system of claim 43, further comprising means forenabling the first telephone-type device and second telephone-typedevice to operate concurrently.
 45. The system of claim 43, furthercomprising a central office for providing a plurality of telephone-typeservices, the central office comprising: a POTS splitter electricallyconnected to the subscriber line, the POTS splitter transmitting a firstsignal onto the subscriber line and receiving a second signal from thesubscriber line; a POTS switch connected to the POTS splitter; andwherein one of the first and second signals comprises one of an analogPOTS signal and at least one digital signal, the analog POTS signalhaving data within the POTS frequency band, the at least one digitalsignal having digital data within the frequency band higher than thePOTS frequency band; and wherein the other of the first and secondsignals comprises at least one digital signal within the frequency bandhigher than the POTS frequency band.
 46. The system of claim 45, furthercomprising a customer premises, wherein the customer premises comprises:said subscriber line, the subscriber line being in electricalcommunication with the central office; and said first telephone-typedevice, the first telephone-type device comprising a POTS device thattransmits and receives analog POTS signals along the subscriber line;and said second telephone-type device, the second telephone-type devicecomprising a digital device that transmits and receives digital signalsalong the subscriber line; wherein the POTS frequency band comprisesfrequencies within a range from 0 to 4 kHz, and the frequency band thatis higher than the POTS frequency band comprises frequencies within arange from 20 kHz to 1 MHz, whereby the frequency bands are separated bya guard frequency band comprising frequencies within a range from 4 kHzto 20 kHz.
 47. The system of claim 43, further comprising means forproviding a first telephone-type service to the first telephone-typedevice and providing a second telephone-type service to the secondtelephone-type device, each telephone-type service being determinable bya telephone service provider.
 48. The system of claim 43, wherein thesecond telephone-type device is a digitized analog communicationsdevice.
 49. The system of claim 43, the second telephone-type deviceimplements one of an audio service utilizing audio compression, adigitized audio service, a DSL service, a multimedia service, a videophone service, a digital telephone service including a protocol forcommunication over the Internet, a digital facsimile service, an audioand visual data streaming service, a home security service, a utilitymeter reading service, a digital telephone service, a personal computerservice, an Internet video telephone service, and a digital televisionservice.
 50. The system of claim 43, wherein the second telephone-typedevice has a transfer rate that is higher than the transfer rateassociated with the first telephone-type device.
 51. The system of claim43, wherein the first telephone-type device is designed to communicatean analog voice signal, and the second telephone-type device is designedto communicate a digital data signal.
 52. The system of claim 43,further comprising means for transmitting communication signals alongthe subscriber line, the communication signals comprising: an analogPOTS signal within the POTS frequency band, the POTS frequency bandcomprising a range of frequencies for carrying POTS signals; and atleast one digital signal within the frequency band that is higher thanthe POTS frequency band, the frequency band higher than the POTSfrequency band comprising a range of frequencies for carrying digitalsignals; wherein the analog POTS signal and the at least one digitalsignal exist on the subscriber line simultaneously, the telephone-typedevices comprising at least one POTS device that transmits or receivesthe analog POTS signal and at least one digital device that transmits orreceives the digital signal.
 53. The system of claim 52, wherein the atleast one digital device operates in both the POTS frequency band andthe frequency band that is higher than the POTS frequency band when theat least one POTS device is not in operation.
 54. The system of claim52, wherein the POTS frequency band comprises frequencies within a rangefrom 0 to 4 kHz, the frequency band higher than the POTS frequency bandcomprises frequencies within a range from 20 kHz to 1 MHz, and a guardfrequency band comprises frequencies within a range from 4 kHz to 20kHz.
 55. The system of claim 52, wherein the at least one digital signalcomprises a plurality of digital signals, each digital signaltransmitted along the subscriber line within a frequency range that is asub-set of the frequency band higher than the POTS frequency band, eachsub-set being separate from the sub-sets of the other digital signals.56. The system of claim 55, wherein the subscriber line is connected toa plurality of digital devices, each digital device configured totransmit and receive one of the plurality of digital signals.
 57. Thesystem of claim 52, wherein the analog POTS signal is transmitted alongthe subscriber line in one direction and the digital signal issimultaneously transmitted along the subscriber line in the oppositedirection.
 58. The system of claim 43, further comprising: a subscriberpremises having said subscriber line connected to a plurality ofsubscriber devices, the subscriber devices comprising at least one POTSdevice that transmits or receives analog POTS signals and at least onedigital device that transmits or receives digital signals, the at leastone digital device comprising at least one real-time device that isserviced in a timely manner; and a central office wire center comprisinga POTS splitter, a POTS switch, and a multi-point master modem, the POTSsplitter connected to the subscriber line of the subscriber premises andfurther connected to the POTS switch and multi-point master modem of thecentral office wire center; wherein a communication signal iscommunicated between the POTS splitter and the subscriber devices alongthe subscriber line, the communication signal comprising the analog POTSsignal within a first frequency range and the digital signal within asecond frequency range, the second frequency range comprisingfrequencies higher than the frequencies in the first frequency range.59. The system of claim 58, further comprising: means for communicatingthe analog POTS signal between the POTS splitter and POTS switch; andmeans for communicating the digital signal between the POTS splitter andthe multi-point master modem.
 60. The system of claim 43, herein thesubscriber line is a single wire pair.
 61. The system of claim 43,wherein the first telephone-type device communicates directly with thesubscriber line without the use of a modem.
 62. The system of claim 61,wherein the first telephone-type device comprises at least one devicefrom a list comprising telephones and facsimile machines.
 63. The systemof claim 43, further comprising a modem, wherein the secondtelephone-type device communicates with the subscriber line via themodem.